There are certain sections of the grocery store I just don’t spend much time in. While cucumber and aloe drinks may be something you’ve enjoyed for years, they’re relatively new to me.

Last week, we covered the mundane soft drinks. Coke, Pepsi, their diet counterparts and more recent zero-calorie incarnations were reviewed, finally focusing on Dr Pepper 10, its odd marketing campaign and the calorie-per-serving loophole fostered by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

This week, we’ve found a more odd group of drinks, including teas, herb waters and the aforementioned cucumber and aloe beverages. Part 3 will focus on even more exotic potables.

Tasting things outside of my comfort zone is a natural part of the gig. This being a cluster of smaller towns, I don’t have access to the truly daring fare found in the restaurants and markets of a larger city (though I finally ate goat last week!). In February, I participated in a candy-themed issue of Coast Weekend. Being only so excited about the locally-made seafoam, fudge and taffy, I imported a bunch of weird foreign candies and ended up having a lot of fun tasting the “treats” of other cultures. While that take on beverages is coming eventually, I thought this week I’d try as many different things I could find locally, in a little specialty store called Safeway.

Rob’s Really Good Chocolate Tea, 60 calories, $1.50 I was really surprised to like this. A bold black pekoe blend is perfectly balanced with a faint chocolate flavor. Not too sweet. Look for words of “wisdom” under the cap. Whatever they’re paying the writer is too much.

Honest Tea, varying calories, four for $5 (on sale) with Safeway Club Membership These bottles tout the characteristic “just a tad sweet,” which is good, as there needs be a happy medium between the cloying Snapples and dry Liptons flanking on either side. Coming in at 34 calories is the Jasmine Green Energy blend, which is less sweet than whatever measurement a “tad” is supposed to be. The Peach Oo-la-long is perfectly balanced at 60 calories, peachy, not sugary. The Organic Pomegranate/Acai White Tea is sweeter yet at 85 calories, boasting a natural antioxidant boost (as opposed to Antioxidant 7-Up, which seems as natural as calcium-spiked orange juice). Honest Tea blends top off at 100 calories for the tea and lemonade blend, known to most as an Arnold Palmer cocktail (and branded as such by Arizona beverages). Nathanial Hawthorne and Walt Whitman quotes can be found under Honest Tea caps. Hear that, Rob?

Ayala Herbal Water, zero calories, $1.79 Heavy emphasis on the “herbal.” I knew the Lavender/Mint blend would rub me the wrong way. In addition to the floral, overpowering lavender, this blend upon closer examination of the back label also contains thyme and lemongrass. But the Lemongrass/Mint/Vanilla blend of Ayala was really good; I would buy it again. The vanilla fools your brain into tasting a sweetness that isn’t there, the lemongrass is more muted and the mint isn’t drowned out.

Mr. Q Cumber, 90 calories, $1.19 If you could make a sweet pickle with no vinegar or salt, this is what it would taste like. Far sweeter than necessary, the label lists “cucumber flavor” as an ingredient.

R.W. Knudsen Sparkling Essence Cucumber, zero calories, $1.25 This gets right what “Mr. Q” gets wrong. A fresh, effervescent drink, this is carbonated spring water, a touch of lemon and cucumber extract. This would make a perfect palate cleanser after too much wasabi.

Alo Allure Aloe, Mangosteen, Mango, 70 calories, $2.59 Wow! Does anyone remember Orbitz? It was a drink introduced in the late ’90s that had edible chunks floating in it. It didn’t last long, but I remember a magazine describing it as “drinking a lava lamp,” and I liked it when I could find it. Alo Allure has chunks of aloe pulp comprising 25 percent of the beverage, which is an odd texture contrast (not as extreme as bubble tea), but not unpleasant. The drink is tart, just sweet enough, and bright green. As odd as it was to drink something usually reserved for burn gel, sunscreen and other topical products, it’s really a quite neutral flavor. I highly recommend picking up a bottle of this.

Nirvana Foods Real Coco Aloe, 70 calories, $2.19 This beverage, inspired by Thailand blends, is refreshing served cold, and just shy of too sweet. Here the aloe’s neutrality is even more evident set against coconut water with coconut floaties and a nonspecific 2 grams of fiber.

The most fun about taste test articles like this for me is the excuse to have a get-together. But it’s fun to do even if you won’t be publishing your report. Get some water crackers or pretzels, some paper cups, invite four or five friends over, and let the sampling begin. See what cool cocktails you can come up with (and then name).

Boil a beverage down to a concentrated syrup and concoct an original dessert. Be creative! If your friends are unwilling, have your tasting party coincide with the viewing of a sporting event. Whenever you find yourself in a beverage “rut,” just remember: Variety is the spice of life.